Lesson 40a: Jesus' Messianic Claims
40a.1 There is no doubt that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah. In fact He proclaimed Himself as the Messiah at every opportunity. He even explained to the people of Capernaum that it was his mission to proclaim this Good News (of Himself) in every city of Galilee (at least), saying...
"I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent" Luke 4:43
40a.2 On several occasions Jesus came right out and said, "I am the Messiah." These are listed below:
When He was talking to the Samaritan woman, she said, "I know that Messiah is coming. When He comes, He will tell us all things." He replied, "I who speak to you am He." John 4:25
During Jesus' trial Caiphas put Him under oath..
And the high priest answered and said to Him , "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, (the Messiah), the Son of God!" Jesus said to him, "(Yes, most emphatically) It is as you said." (parenthesis mine) Matthew 26:63-64
40a.3 Most of the time however, Jesus referred to Himself as the Messiah in even more direct ways. What could be more direct than saying, "I am the Messiah"? Well, He could say I am the promised Messiah -- or He could say, "I am the Messiah of prophecy". And that is exactly what Jesus did...
For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. John 5:46
It is written in the prophets, "And they shall all be taught by God," Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. John 6:45
40a.4 Jesus also referred to Himself as Messiah directly by continually pointing to Himself as the fulfillment of Old Testament types. His Jewish listeners knew exactly what He was saying. Examples:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:14
and
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40
40a.5 Jesus directly referred to Himself as the Messiah by claiming to be the Son of God the Father...
"do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the son of God?" If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him" Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. John 10:36
"I and my Father are One." Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.
John 10:30 **By law the Jews were required to stone anyone who committed blasphemy. One of the ways to commit blasphemy was to claim to be the Messiah. BUT making such a claim was not blasphemy if the person could prove that He was, in fact, the Messiah. So the Jews who picked up stones to throw at Jesus were breaking the law -- they were not giving Him the chance to prove His claims. By this they showed that they did not know the law as well as they -- in their pride -- supposed.
40a.6 Jesus directly referred to Himself as the Messiah by making many great "I AM" statements.*
"I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." John 8:12
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
John 11:25"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6"I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; John 6:51
* "I AM" (Yahweh) is the Hebrew word for God. It comes from the Old Testament...
And God said to Moses "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you." Exodus 3:14
Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." Then they took up stones to throw at Him; John 8:58
Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things." John 8:28
Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I AM (He), you will die in your sins. John 8:24
40a.7 When other people called Jesus the Messiah, He did not rebuke them, but rewarded them.
Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven." Matt. 16:16
She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the son of God, who is to come
into the world." John 11:2740a.8 Jesus' title for Himself was "The Son of Man". This was a Messianic title. See aux 29
40a9 Jesus claimed that the miracles He did proved He was the Messiah.
If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me, but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him. John 10:38-39
40a.10 More than once, Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of God.
This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it. John 11:4
I said, "I am the Son of God." John 10:36
Jesus... said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" He answered and said, "Who is He Lord, that I may believe in Him?" And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you." John 9:35-37
40a.11 Lastly, there is this: When Jesus was dying on the cross the people mocked him saying,
"He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, "I am the Son of God." Matthew 27:43
lesson 40
lesson 40b
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